Alfa Romeo 4C price announced

At first glance, the £45,000 that Alfa Romeo will be charging for its new 4C sports coupé seems rather expensive.

But hang on a moment - this is a mid-engine two-seater with a carbon fibre monocoque chassis, which is going to be assembled at Maserati’s Modena factory at a rate of just 3,500 units per year. Suddenly that price tag is beginning to look a lot more reasonable?

Alfa Romeo 4C (2014) Front Side

Even so, some critics might still bemoan the relatively humble 1,750 cc four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Actually, the 4C’s dry weight of 895 kg (1,973 lbs) makes such a motor ideal, especially as it produces 236 bhp (176 kW / 240 PS) with a substantial 350 Nm (258 lb/ft) peak torque figure.

Unsurprisingly, the resultant power-to-weight ratio is a boon for performance: the Alfa can accelerate from zero to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds, before hitting a top speed of 160 mph (257 km/h). Equally as noteworthy are the 41.5 mpg (6.8 l/100km) achieved on the combined cycle and carbon dioxide emissions of 157 g/km.

The 4C won’t be without some accomplished rivals, though. An extra £3,783 would buy a Porsche Cayman S, for example, while the Lotus Elise S is £7,850 cheaper than the Italian car.

UK orders for the Alfa Romeo 4C are being accepted from next month, ahead of the first deliveries which are expected sometime during 2014.

Alfa Romeo 4C (2014) DashboardAlfa Romeo 4C (2014) Rear Side

Related posts:
Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition
Alfa Romeo 4C revealed
Top 10: New cars due in 2013

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